If I were having lunch with BB...
 

... here a few of the questions I'd be sure to ask him.

1. Bill, I'd think we'd all agree that eliminating the possibility of TO's is a huge part of game preparation. In that vein, isn't time to consider that the multiple option read passing game that has swept through the league might be part of the problem. Even though it looks great on the board when you draw it up, the fact is that you put your team where you are always in danger where only ONE of the 4 or 5 guys who are running patterns or throwing the ball makes a miss read, and a play can blow up on you really badly.

Wouldn't you get better execution and a much less risky play if the receivers ran patterns called in the huddle. That way you eliminate any hesitation by the receivers. The QB would know EXACTLY where every receiver is going to be at any time. So wouldn't the improved EXECUTION would make up for any loss you'd have in creating separation by running option/read patterns?

Also wouldn't going back to that kind of system perhaps saved a guy like Chad Jackson, and allowed him to thrive, as opposed to crash and burn like he did. Back in the day Everyone knew that Unitas was going to throw that 12 yd out to Ray Berry, but the execution was SOOOO precise that it was completed anyway.

2. In the same vein that everything is cyclical in football (the shot gun that is the rage now is merely a version of the single wing that was run in the 30's and the spread formation has been used since the late 40's. So here is my next queston. I still can't get over how offensive line blocking has evolved into the zone blocking techniques we see today. Back in the day, (when the rules were a lot different and a lot HARDER for OLmen) the OLman AGGRESSIVELY ATTACKED his assigned man. He put his helmet into the man's chest and drove him back or at an angle. Today's technque we USE TO deride as "titty blocking". Standing straight up and litterally hand fighting the defensive lineman.

Once again this is a trade off between crisp execution and the read/option knd of thing that looks great when you draw it up, but requires the RB and blockers all to read the same thing. When it works it looks great, when it doesn't it nets negative yardage. AGAIN I ask, Bill, wouldn't you be better off in a system where everyone knows his assignment at the snap of the ball, and the runner knows WHERE the hole is going to be and is limited to PERHAPS a single option (ie 0ne hole over, depending on what he sees)

3. The first couple of questions I'd be asking him kind of coach to coach. But I would finally have to ask him the question WTF was he thinking when he sent that guy to film the Jets defensive signal AFTER getting the league memo NOT to do that anymore. Was he surprised at how strong the response was? What was the real purpose of the filming anyway, they certainly didn't get any advantage on the day they filmed?

In other words I'd ask him the same questions everyone else would...and more, but I have to run so I'll stop with these 3

Re: if I were having lunch with BB....
 

Hi Ken...interesting questions as always.

1. 50 Tds, 8 Ints. Those stats alone should show the benefits of the read/option passing game. It definitely does require a smart QB and smart receivers, though. Also (and you'll hear this again on #2), I think the complexity of today's defenses really forces offenses to react to them on the fly. There's so much more film study done week to week now than back in the day that any scheme where routes were set in stone before the snap of the ball would be 'easy pickings' for a good DC.

2. Same as above - the DL and linebackers rarely stay nicely lined up for an OL to focus on them exclusively after the ball is snapped. Remember how the Pats were initially stymied by the Bretts' 'roaming defenders' thing back in 2006 when almost the entire defense was moving around at the snap of the ball? A zone scheme is the perfect remedy for that defense, versus dedicated assignments that focus on one defender. The latter leads to offensive confusion and defensive guys coming completely free after the snap.

3. Wouldn't we all like to know. I've always assumed he just didn't think it was a big deal, and he'd just get warned to stop if it was a problem. Like you, I can't really see what benefit they could have really gotten from such lousy film.

Re: if I were having lunch with BB....
 

Excellent topic.
1. The problem with skilled perfect execution is that in the ancient pre-salary cap only the very best talent could do it consistently enough to win. In a salary cap era, you have to have systems that embrace mediocracy, especially if a starter is injured. Even moreso, the defenses today are radically more complex than those in the Unitas era. The environment is different, requiring different tactics to survive and prosper.

2. See item one.

3. I believe that BB had such hubris that he thought his rationale would prevent any substantive league penalty. I believe his utter disdain and lack of respect for Goody led him to making a major mis-judgement of the consequences. Additionally, the situation got out of hand and escallated beyond his imaginings when the Jets called security. He was only expecting the typical post game complaint to the Commish. I recommend that BB read Nicolas Nassim Taleb's "The Black Swan" to understand the unexpected consequences of the erroneously assumed improbable.

Re: if I were having lunch with BB....
 

1. "Ken, I'm just coaching football. It isn't rocket science. It doesn't involve delivering tons of high explosive with pin point accuracy at the risk of killing your own troops. It doesn't involve coordinating troop movements through enemy territory across rough terrain. It's football, played by some of the world's best athletes under almost ideal conditions. Sight adjustments are part of the game and have been in one form or another since I started breaking down film for my father."

2. "I don't make the rules. Offensive linemen are no longer allowed to use their helmets to spear defensive linemen. Defensive linemen are no longer allowed to head slap. Those are the rules and we just play within them."

3. "Do you have a question about Miami?"

Re: if I were having lunch with BB....
 

For number two, there's also the matter of a substantial change in the type of athletes playing these positions. A tackle is typically going to be facing off against a lighter, quicker defensive end, and taking one false step out towards him means your quarterback is likely going to get killed. Conversely, the guards and center are likely to be facing a mammoth nose tackle, a 0-technique type guy that will just ragdoll them if they try to get into his chest and drive him off of the line, instead of just playing him to a stalemate to keep the pocket intact. It's not like the old days when offensive and defensive linemen were more similar in terms of size, speed and athletic ability.

Re: if I were having lunch with BB....
 

After 7 years of this including a .715 regular season and .824 playoff winning percentage - not to mention a perfect regular season - I feel sorry for anyone who needs to ask the first two questions, while having no sympathy for anyone asking the last...

Classic BB responses though. :rofl:

Re: if I were having lunch with BB....
 

I have met him twice and got a chance to ask him questions. Rather than second guess him foolishly like Patfanken wants to I asked him to break down a play on offense and defense any play he chose and he did and it was fun and educational. The other time I asked him to break down his responsibilities on any given play and his answer was interesting. He said he doesn't neccessarily get the next play ready but rather tell the coordinators what he would be looking for if certain situations come up. The example he gave was say it is 3rd and 5 from the opponents 40 I want to let the offensive coordinator know that if it 4th 1 we will go that he can pick a play according which may be different if he thinks 3rd down is his last chance to gain it rather than having 2 down to gain it.

The event was a small cozy Dinner with the Coach and there was about 40-60 people and other people asked questions some of which he gave quicker respneses to both of my questions he went into good detail on. I think he liked where I was going rather than some other guys who were kind of second guessing.

Re: if I were having lunch with BB....
 

I hope you were just auditing that journalism course and didn't need it to graduate... ;)

Re: if I were having lunch with BB....
 

I want to talk to BB about the draft.

Why is this the first year that they drafted a LB high when they have won SB with all first day picks at LB. Teddy B, Vrabel, Ted Johnson and Willie Mac. all first day picks. Why Monty B, Chad Brown, Alexander.

Why draft M. Hill in the 2nd round when they had used a 1st round pick on Vince the round earlier and Vince makes it 3 #1's on D-linemen. Why not use the pick in another area.

Why so many TE's and O-linemen drafted instead of D players.

Why have they tanked the 2nd round of the draft.

There are ton questions I would have about the draft.

Re: if I were having lunch with BB....
 

not sure exactly what you mean by that. You questioning my writting style, the soft questions I asked BB, or something else?


I was a journalism major but and this should go for the guys on the beat to why ask a question you know you are not going to get an answer to especially in the setting that I was in. It was a fun night with the coach by no means did I want to be the one to ask spygate questions (which someone did and got the same type of answer he would give in a press conference).

as to my writting style, For some reason when I get on here and write I could care less about key things like grammar, spelling and paragraph structure. I just want to get to football talk.